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Mardul Sharma

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  • Published: Jun 05 2025 06:25 PM
  • Last Updated: Jun 05 2025 06:36 PM

Phoebe Bishop, 17, vanished in May. Her housemates James Wood and Tanika Bromley have now been charged with murder. Her body is still missing.


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Phoebe Bishop should’ve been planning a new chapter of her life. She was just 17 — excited, smiling, ready to fly out of Bundaberg to see her mum in Western Australia. But she never boarded that flight. And now, nearly three weeks later, her two housemates — the very people who were supposed to care for her — are being accused of something unthinkable: her murder.

James Wood (34) and Tanika Bromley (33) told police they dropped her off at the airport. But when officers checked CCTV? No sign of Phoebe entering the terminal. Nothing. Just silence. The search began. And it didn’t take long for this to become one of the darkest stories Bundaberg has seen in years.

“My World Is Shattered”: A Mother’s Heartbreaking Plea to Find Her Daughter

Phoebe’s mother has been posting regularly on Facebook, begging for help and answers. In one emotional message, she wrote:

“Our world has just been shattered into the most horrific place I’ve ever been... I need my baby home to put her to rest.”

Her words struck a chord with thousands. People across Australia are now sharing Phoebe’s photos, talking about her bright smile and her dreams of reconnecting with family. The pain in her mother’s voice is raw. Honest. And terrifying — the kind of pain no parent should ever go through.

Online, the hashtag #FindPhoebe is spreading. Many on Twitter are demanding justice.

What Really Happened That Day? Police Say the Airport Story Was a Lie

At first, everything seemed normal. Phoebe’s housemates told everyone they had dropped her off for a flight on May 15. But something felt off. Her phone stopped working. She didn’t check in at the airport. And her mother, Kylie Johnson, was left waiting, confused and scared, across the country.

That same day, police began digging deeper. They searched the house she lived in. They took the car — a grey Hyundai ix35 — for forensic checks. And when they watched the airport surveillance footage, the truth began to unravel. Phoebe never entered the airport.

Hyundai ix35

As days passed, police started treating the case as “suspicious.” That word soon turned into something far worse: murder.

Now What? Police Say More Searches Are Coming — But Her Body Is Still Missing

This week, Queensland Police officially charged James Wood and Tanika Bromley not only with murder but also interfering with a corpse. That second charge is especially horrifying — it means they believe her body was moved or hidden after the crime.

Police have already searched Good Night Scrub National Park and nearby bushland areas, hoping to find where Phoebe may have been left. But so far, nothing. Just heartbreak and frustration.

They're now urging the public to check any dashcam footage or security video from the region, especially if it includes the grey Hyundai ix35 seen during that week. They say even a tiny tip could help.

Image Source: The Sun

FAQ

Phoebe was a Bundaberg, Queensland, 17-year-old girl who went missing on May 15, 2025.

Allegedly, Phoebe was dropped off at the airport by her housemates, but never boarded that plane. In fact, CCTV examples show, that she never entered the terminal.

Two of Phoebe's adult housemates, James Wood and Tanika Bromley, have been charged with murder & interfering with a corpse.

No, police and volunteers have conducted numerous searches, including searches of national parks, but to date none of these searches have revealed a body.

They are asking the public for dashcam or CCTV footage, particularly of a grey Hyundai ix35, in and around the Bundaberg and Gin Gin areas.

Phoebe's mother has made a few emotional public appeals for information and said her family had been "shattered".

Police have said the investigation is still live and continually evolving and expect to conduct additional searches in the coming days.

Yes, both Wood and Bromley were refused bail and are next scheduled to appear in court later in the month.

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